MCT³: Advanced Micro Combi Tester

The Micro Combi Tester (MCT³) universal measurement head enables the complete mechanical characterization of coatings and bulk samples.

The instrument’s wide load range allows users to determine the adhesion, scratch resistance, hardness, elastic modulus, friction, and wear of a wide range of samples. It is applicable to bulk materials, soft and hard samples, organic and inorganic samples, and coatings between 1 µm and 20 µm.

The Micro Combi Tester (MCT³) can expand its characterization load range by working in conjunction with other instrumented indentation or scratch testing heads. An atomic force microscope can also be connected to the MCT³ via a unified Step surface testing platform.

Key Features

Four-in-One Mechanical Characterization

Image Credit:Anton Paar GmbH

The Micro Combi Tester’s (MCT³) distinct mechanical design incorporates four different mechanical characterization measurement methods into a single measurement head with no compromise on the quality of measurements acquired.

The same head can be used to perform coating adhesion and scratch resistance (scratch testing) measurements, hardness and elastic modulus measurements (instrumented indentation testing), Vickers hardness measurements (conventional hardness testing), and friction and wear measurements (multi-pass tribological testing).

A Fully Automated Mechanical Characterization Tester

Image Credit:Anton Paar GmbH

The Micro Combi Tester (MCT³) – like all Anton Paar scratch testers – are able to automatically detect critical loads with no operator influence. It does this by utilizing the friction force, penetration depth, or acoustic emission signals before analyzing them with an algorithm to automatically determine critical loads.

Vickers hardness tests can be performed in the software package, whereby the imprint is automatically detected and measured. Thanks to the instrumented indentation technique, hardness and elastic modulus at various positions can also be determined in a single measurement.

A Load Range Suitable for a Wide Range of Applications

Image Credit:Anton Paar GmbH

The Micro Combi Tester (MCT³) can conduct scratch and instrumented indentation (IIT) tests at depths ranging from a few nm (for surface detection) to a maximum of 1 mm.

The instrument’s wide range of applied and measured force can accommodate most sample characteristics. This ranges from 10 mN to 30 n. This load and depth range is suitable for the mechanical characterization of thermal/plasma spray coatings, cementitious materials, hard coatings (PVD, CVD from 1 µm to 20 µm), metals, and polymers. Where an application’s standards necessitate traditional hardness testing for bulk materials, the Micro Combi Tester (MCT³) offers Vickers hardness testing within the same force range.

Patented Synchronized Panorama Mode

Image Credit:Anton Paar GmbH

Synchronized Panorama Mode can automatically synchronize the recording of sensor signals to ensure that the entire scratch image is in perfect focus. Critical loads can, therefore, be identified by observing these synchronized optical and signal recordings.

Anton Paar holds both European patent EP 2065695 and U.S. patent 8261600 in relation to this unique feature.

Perfect Results for Curved or Uneven Surfaces

Image Credit:Anton Paar GmbH

The unique force sensor control of the Micro Combi Tester’s (MCT³) scratch system can detect each surface deviation by following the shape with total control of the desired load. Active force feedback is then employed to correct these deviations as required.

Regardless of the shape of the sample, the instrument can conduct reliable measurements, even when working with curved and uneven surfaces like lenses.

Ensuring Versatility with the Step Platform

Image Credit:Anton Paar GmbH

The versatility of the Micro Combi Tester (MCT³) can be expanded with the Step platform.

Users can complement the testing head with another indentation or scratch tester to accommodate the nano/micro/macro range, or they can add AFM functionality to acquire topography and full mechanical surface characterization with one platform.

Technical Specifications

Source:Anton Paar GmbH

Standards

ASTM

C1624

E2546

G171

ISO

14577

20502

27307:2015